John Whitaker has been winning international showjumping medals since 1980. Now aged 62, he shows no signs of slowing down.
John Whitaker has been winning international showjumping medals since 1980. Now aged 62, he shows no signs of slowing down.
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Pictured here in 1999, Whitaker says there is no particular secret behind his longevity. "Apart from riding I don't do any fitness training but I'm busy all the time and I'm not lazy," he says. "My family know they can't tell me to slow down."
Pictured here in 1999, Whitaker says there is no particular secret behind his longevity. "Apart from riding I don't do any fitness training but I'm busy all the time and I'm not lazy," he says. "My family know they can't tell me to slow down."
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Whitaker was selected to compete for Great Britain at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. His first Games came back in 1984, when he won a silver medal, and he hasn't given up on being in the saddle at Tokyo 2020.
Whitaker was selected to compete for Great Britain at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. His first Games came back in 1984, when he won a silver medal, and he hasn't given up on being in the saddle at Tokyo 2020.
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Despite his advancing years, he's not considering retirement any time soon. "At the moment I'm riding well," explains Whitaker. "I have some good young horses that are coming through the ranks so I can see me still riding for at least another five years."
Despite his advancing years, he's not considering retirement any time soon. "At the moment I'm riding well," explains Whitaker. "I have some good young horses that are coming through the ranks so I can see me still riding for at least another five years."
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Whitaker also still takes risks, riding young and unpredictable horses. "I last came off in February whilst competing in Spain," he recalls. "The horse reared up and came over backwards onto me. I remember someone came over and said, 'you shouldn't be riding five-year-olds at your age' but I said it's just got to be done."
Whitaker also still takes risks, riding young and unpredictable horses. "I last came off in February whilst competing in Spain," he recalls. "The horse reared up and came over backwards onto me. I remember someone came over and said, 'you shouldn't be riding five-year-olds at your age' but I said it's just got to be done."
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